As a common working machine, a self-propelled snow remover having a snow-removing part as a working part is disclosed for example in JP-A-2000-80621 and JP-A-2001-271317.
A working machine consisting of the snow-remover disclosed in JP-A-2001-271317 will now be described briefly on the basis of FIG. 8 hereof.
Referring to FIG. 8, a working machine 200 has on a machine body 201 a working part 204 made up of an auger 202 and a blower 203; an engine 205 for driving the working part 204; left and right transporting parts 206, 206 consisting of crawlers; left and right electric motors 207, 207 for driving these transporting parts 206, 206; a generator 209, driven by the engine 205, for supplying electrical power to a battery 208 and the electric motors 207, 207; and a control part 211 for controlling the electric motors 207, 207.
Some of the output of the engine 205 is used to drive the generator 209, and the electrical power obtained is supplied to the battery 208 and the left and right electric motors 207, 207. The remainder of the output of the engine 205 is allocated to driving the working part 204 via an electromagnetic clutch 212. Thus, in this snow-remover 200, the working part 204 is driven by the engine 205 and the transporting parts 206, 206 are driven by the electric motors 207, 207.
When a working machine 200 like this is in use, the working part is stopped and started intermittently depending on the working circumstances. For example, in the course of snow-removal work, changing location and removing snow will be stopped from time to time. When working has stopped, the engine 205 is in an idling state, in which there is almost no load on it. From the point of view of saving fuel, improving the working environment, and extending the life of the engine, it is undesirable for the idling state to continue. For this reason, it is common for the operator to stop the engine 205 every time working is interrupted. However, the operation of stopping the engine 205 every time working is interrupted is tiresome.
Therefore, technology has been awaited with which when the working of the working part has been interrupted and the engine is idling, the engine stops automatically.